Buildings have a considerable impact on the environment being responsible for a substantial proportion of global energy
consumption, thus contributing significantly to the anthropogenic CO2 emissions, which evidence suggests is the
main cause of climate change. Mitigation and adaptation measures are required to tackle the challenges of climate
change. Adaptive measures – structural and behavioural strategies – are the focus of this paper. Structural strategies
include flexible and adaptive structural systems; while behavioural strategies cover the spatial, personal, and psychological
control measures which may influence the design and operations of buildings. The study explores the adaptive
thermal comfort of occupants and examines the design strategies for adapting buildings to climate change in the tropical
context, with a view to determine the effectiveness of these strategies as observed in the case study. The study was
conducted during the rainy and dry seasons in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, located in a warm humid climate zone.
The Institute of Venture Design student hostel was used as case-study to conduct the survey on a sample of 40
respondents by means of structured questionnaire. The respondents’ thermal sensation and access to thermal controls
were determined, and their thermal sensation and thermal adaptability in both seasons comparatively analyzed. Indoor
environmental parameters including air temperature, mean radiant temperature, relative humidity and air velocity were
also measured. The data were analyzed using relevant descriptive and inferential statistics. The study discussed the
effectiveness of design strategies available for building adaptation in an era of climate change within the warm humid
environment, concluding on the need for greater synergy between the techno-structural and socio-behavioural dimensions
of building adaptation.
Keywords: Adaptive Comfort, Behavioral Adaptation, Building Adaptation, Climate Change, Structural Strategies.